Can Journaling Change Your Life? The Benefits Explained

Have you ever been in such a tough place emotionally, that you just feel stuck there? Or maybe you are there now? The rough things you are dealing with - the loss, the pain, the overwhelm - you just can’t shake them, and they sometimes feel all-consuming.  So much so, that daily life feels really hard right now. It could be that you have moved past the hardest part of it, but life is just duller and less joyful because you never got resolve, true healing or closure on that pain. If you can relate to any of this, then there is something that can help - journaling.

 Did you know that there is scientific evidence that shows us how journaling can not only help us better process our emotions and experiences, but it will also change our brains for the better? Hey, there is a reason that as adolescents most of us kept a diary. Somehow, we inherently knew that we needed to write stuff down.

 Here are my top 3 benefits of journaling for mental health:

• Journaling reduces stress and anxiety by calming the part of our brain that processes emotion. As we continue to do so, the painful emotions begin to lose their power over us as they lose intensity in this part of our brain. Numerous studies have found that over time, journaling can be as effective as cognitive and behavioral therapy in reducing depression.
• Journaling helps move information (like trauma) out of long-term memory and into short-term memory, which is where we are best at problem-solving. This lets you be more analytical and less emotional, which helps you strategize your best path forward.
• Journaling before bedtime (on pen and paper, no blue light) can help you sleep better! Putting your thoughts on paper releases you from the propensity to rehash them when you go to bed. This will help you fall asleep faster and sleep more peacefully.

Writing with pen and paper forces you to slow down with your thoughts and engages multiple areas of your brain. This improves neuroplasticity, which is simply your brain’s ability to adapt and change. This is the magic that helps you get unstuck, and helps you move through the yucky emotions and into emotional healing.

 I am living proof that this works. I have had amazing people surrounding me when I have gone through the worst times in life, but it is the journaling that helped me get a handle on my emotional health and do the really hard work of healing when I was alone with my thoughts and my pain. There are times in my life when I am less disciplined about my journaling, but I can promise you that I handle stuff much better when I am journaling.

 If you are not one who writes in a journal regularly, here are some tips on how to integrate this practice into your life and create a habit that will stick:

• Start small: Schedule 5 minutes before bed and put an alarm in your phone to remind you to put the phone away, crawl into your bed or favorite chair, and write one thing down in your journal.
• Have a plan: If you just stare at a blank piece of paper unsure of what to write down, you will never get anywhere. Choose a specific thing that you will write down each day. This could be one thing that you are grateful for, the best thing that happened to you that day, your biggest prayer request, or something else that is relevant and meaningful to you. This will keep you from writer’s block or overwhelm.
• Put your journal in your own way: Don’t stow it in your nightstand or put it away. The visual cue of seeing your pen and paper waiting for you will go along way in making it easier on you to stick with.

 If you aren’t sure where to start, there are many great ideas for journal prompts out there, as well as journals that already come pre-filled with prompts. You can download my three favorite journal prompts by clicking here. These are my favorite three things to write down each week and have been a huge help for me. This is a free download and you can print off as many as you want to stick ion a binder, or just use them with your own journal.

 Speaking of your own journal, here are 5 great journals that I recommend. I have them all!

• The Grit & Virtue Journal: This journal includes nuggets of wisdom and scripture to help bolster you in your purpose. https://gritandvirtue.com/journals/
• Ruled Leather Cover Journal: These are a great portable size, have pretty leather covers, and are wide-ruled for those of us who have bubbly handwriting. I use these for my prayer journals. https://amzn.to/4drbtBZ
• The Five Minute Journal: With a focus on gratitude, this journal helps you process your day and helps keep you in a positive mindset. There are 5 daily prompts that will only take 5 minutes to complete. https://amzn.to/3LMP2va
• The Five Year Journal: This is a really great and quick way to see progress, look back, and God’s hand of faithfulness in your life. Each page is one calendar day with five sections of a few lines per day. You record the year, then, the next year when that day rolls around you will be able to see your past entries. This is a daily habit that is super easy to stick with! https://amzn.to/3M6zoep
• Spiral Bound Notebook Journal: I love the binding on this one. You can fold it completely back on itself so there is no awkward writing against a spine. It is also a tad larger. I use this one to study scripture… I will write out the same verse in 5 different translations on a page, then go back and highlight the nuances, differences in translations and make notes on the added insights I gained. https://amzn.to/3WHK0GA

To get three great journal prompts and more inspiration from me and the Life After Divorce team, be sure you grab them by clicking here.

I hope this inspires you to start journaling!

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